Joe Luxbacher Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: Pittsburgh, 1974

A long legacy of tradition and excellence has been established by University of Pittsburgh men's soccer coach Joe Luxbacher.

As only the second head coach in the program's 53-year history, Luxbacher enters his 24th season at the University of Pittsburgh. A two-time Big East Conference Coach of the Year recipient in 1992 and 1995, Luxbacher's teams have compiled a 183-173-45 record at Pitt. During his 23-year tenure, the Panthers have amassed 11 winning seasons, six 10-plus victory seasons and seven Big East Conference Tournament appearances.

That winning tradition can best be attributed to the determination of Luxbacher's players. In 1992, the Panthers set a then-school record for victories (12) and advanced to the Big East Tournament. Despite a slow start the following season, Pittsburgh rallied to win five of its last six games, falling just short in its bid to return to the Big East playoffs. In 1995, Luxbacher's squad won a school-record 14 games and recorded Pitt's first-ever conference tournament victory as it defeated Seton Hall in a shootout.

Luxbacher believes in pushing his student-athletes to their highest potential by playing a difficult schedule. Each season is a new challenge for Luxbacher's squads and through the years the Panthers have met the challenge of being a top-20 caliber program.

"Our goal as a program is to be a top-20 team," Luxbacher said. "I try to arrange a schedule that will give us a realistic picture of where we are as a program. I would rather play a schedule that challenges us to the best of our abilities, a schedule that, if we are successful, truly means we have achieved something."

Luxbacher's last four campaigns have been characterized by closely contested games. Since the beginning of the 2002 season, the Panthers have played in a total of 55 one-goal games, compiling a record of 25-30. Pitt has played in a total of 19 overtime games over the last five years and finished 5-6-8 in those contests.

"All success begins with defense and our players realize that it sets the tone for the game," Luxbacher said. "In soccer, everybody plays a part on the defensive end."

Prior to making his mark at Pitt as a coach, Luxbacher set the standard for individual scoring achievement as a Panther player. In his three-year career from 1970-73, he established four school records including most goals in a game (seven vs. Edinboro, 1971), most points (15 vs. Edinboro, 1971), career goals (37) and career points (84). He led the Panthers in both points and goals for three consecutive seasons and led the 1973 squad in assists. As the team's captain and Most Valuable Player in his senior season, Luxbacher averaged 12-plus goals and 28 points per season in his career for head coach Leo Bemis.

"My philosophy has always been to play an aggressive, attacking style of soccer," he said. "I think that's what the fans like to see, and I think that's the type of game today's players want to play."

Even though his program has a national presence, Luxbacher remains loyal to his local Pittsburgh roots. Growing up in Beadling, Pa. (just south of Pittsburgh), Luxbacher learned the true spirit of the game. A mining town comprised of blue-collar European immigrants, soccer was the way of life in Beadling. Every adult in Beadling had soccer experience and as a result, a rich history and tradition blossomed. Each evening after work and school, players would gather to play pick-up games. On weekends the local towns would compete in organized games. Intense local rivalries arose and the pride of representing the town provided motivation to win.

"They were tough, blue-collar guys who played a rough game of soccer," recalls Luxbacher. "I wouldn't have reached the playing level that I did had I not grown up in this close-knit and supportive soccer culture."

In addition to Luxbacher, Beadling groomed two other Panthers greats Robert Cherry (1955) and Jerome Bressanelli (1955-57). Bressanelli was an All-American for the Panthers while Cherry still holds two school records.

After Luxbacher graduated from Pittsburgh in 1974, he began his professional playing career with the Philadelphia Atoms of the North American Soccer League. In the fall of 1974, Luxbacher returned to Pitt as an assistant coach while taking graduate courses at the University. After two seasons with the Atoms, Luxbacher returned to his hometown as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League's Pittsburgh Spirit. He had the distinction of scoring the Spirit's first goal in franchise history. Following his stint with the Spirit, he concluded his professional playing career on a select team touring Europe.

With his international, professional and collegiate experiences, Luxbacher decided to return to coaching. In 1978, he was named the head men's soccer coach at Mount Union College (Alliance, Ohio). During his three-year tenure at Mount Union, Luxbacher compiled a 24-12-4 record.

In 1983, Luxbacher returned to the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant under his former college coach, Leo Bemis. Bemis retired from coaching in 1984 and Pitt named Luxbacher as only its second head men's soccer coach.

"The most important element for success is to surround yourself with good people and we have done that," Luxbacher said. "Our players are expected to work hard, accept responsibility and be trustworthy, tough and committed to the team. We treat them as men, and do not refer to them as "kids," because they are not kids. They are men and are expected to act as such."

Luxbacher also serves as the founder and director of the Shoot-to-Score Soccer Academy, which offers instructional camps to youth players of all ages. In addition, he also has authored 16 books covering various aspects of soccer and overall fitness. Most of Luxbacher's books are available through his two publishing companies: Wish and Human Kinetics, Co. Luxbacher also contributed to another book, Hiking Guide to the Monongahela National Forest.

Luxbacher earned both his Masters (1978) and doctorate (1985) degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.

He is recognized by the United States Soccer Federation with a "Level A" coaching certification. Luxbacher resides with his wife Gail Ann and their two children (Eliza Gail, 10 and Travis Joseph, 9).

THE JOE LUXBACHER FILE

Born: February 10, 1951

Hometown: Beadling, Pa.

High School: Upper St. Clair

College Education University of Pittsburgh, 1974, B.S. in Biological Sciences; M.Ed. in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1978; Ph.D. in Administration of Physical Education and Athletics, 1985.

Family Wife Gail Ann, daughter Eliza Gail (8), and son Travis Joseph (6).

Coaching experience Assistant coach, University of Pittsburgh, 1975 and 1983; Head coach, Mount Union College, Ohio, 1978-81; Head coach: University of Pittsburgh, 1984-present.

LUXBACHER'S PLAYING CAREER College:

•Selected to All-PA-NJ-DE team in 1972 and 1973.

•Team Captain and Most Valuable Player Award in 1973.

•Honored as a member of the Outstanding College Athletes of America in 1970 and 1973.

•Scored a school-record seven goals against Edinboro in 1971 (also had an assist, giving him 15 points in one game).

•Tied for Pittsburgh's school-record with 84 career points.

•Registered a school-record 37 goals during his career.

•Received Pittsburgh's Panther Award in 1973.

Professional:

•Philadelphia Atoms (NASL), 1974-75

•Pittsburgh Miners (ASL), 1975-76

•Pittsburgh Spirit (MISL), 1979-81

Coaching Career

•1992 BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year.

•1995 BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year.

•Inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

•Led Pittsburgh to a school-record 14 wins in 1995, including its first ever BIG EAST Championship Tournament win.

•Beadling Soccer Club Hall of Fame inductee in 1995.

•2002 Upper St. Clair High School Hall of Fame Inductee

•An accomplished writer who has authored many books about soccer. His works include: Soccer Steps to Success (3rd edition), 2004 Soccer Practice Games, 2003 The Soccer Goalkeeper (3rd edition), 2002 Total Fitness for Women, 2002 Attacking Soccer, 1999 Conditioning For Soccer, 1997 Soccer-Winning Techniques, 1997 Soccer: Steps To Success, Second Edition,1996 Soccer Practice Games, 1995 The Soccer Goalkeeper, 1993 Soccer: Steps to Success, 1991 Soccer: A Guide for Players, Coaches and Fans, 1991 Teaching Soccer, 1991 Fun Games for Soccer Training, 1987

•The director and founder of Shoot to Score Soccer Academy.

•The director and co-founder of the Keystone Soccer Kamps.

•Recognized as an accredited soccer coach by the United States Soccer Federation with an "A" coaching certification.